Mounting assembly for portable partitions



6, 1969 .1. T. NAPIER MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE PARTITIONS Filed March 30, 1967 2 Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR JOHN T. NAP/El? ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1999 J. T. NAPIER 3,462,904

MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE PARTITIONS Filed March 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENITOR JOHN 7T NAP/ER BY (L,

A TT'ORNEY United States Patent O 3,462,904 MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE PARTITIONS John T. Napier, Alexandria, Va. Suffolk Properties,

Inc, 5611 Columbia Pike, Baileys Crossroads, Va.

Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,004 Int. Cl. E04b 2/76 U.S. Cl. 52402 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A partition supporting assembly for buildings, including apair of base plates and associated cushioning pads detachably engageable with a floor and ceiling, respectively. Each plate has a pair of independently attachable and detachable, upstanding flanges jointly forming channels for respectively receiving the upper and lower edges of a panel. Locking clips detachably retain the flanges in panel-engaging positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) The basic field of art to which the invention pertains includes wall constructions for wooden buildings, as well as structural units for metallic building structures. and more particularly fastening means for portable wall structures.

(2) A number of prior patents have been issued on structures designed to provide portable panels or partitions for buildings. However, these known constructions either require the use of screws or other surface penetrating devices which mar the floors and ceilings or require complicated, adjustable, pressure-applying mechanisms for retaining the panels in place. Representatives of the known prior art in this field are the following patents:

2,886,l47-Chasteney et al. 3,195,191-Neisewander 3,049,195Leat et al. 2,443,548Wilson 2,107,624Berger 1,758,489Wheat 1,876,528-Walters 2,325,694-Marshall 2,947,0'4lImbrecht As previously pointed out, these prior structures are such as to either mar the floor and ceiling so as to leave conspicuous, defaced surfaces when the portable panels are re-arranged, or they require complicated, pressureapplying mechanisms in order to maintain the panels in place. It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple panel mounting assembly which is easy to install and leaves no marred surfaces on the floor or ceiling when the panels are re-arranged.

SUMMARY Briefly, the present invention comprises elongated base plates which extend the full length of a panel along its upper and lower edges and designed to support pairs of longitudinally extending, vertical flanges which jointly form panel-receiving channels. The floor and ceiling engaging surfaces of these mounting plates are punched throughout to provide projecting prongs which coact with pads adhesively secured to the ceiling and floor to prevent lateral displacement of the plates when panels are in place within the respective channels.

One of the essential features of the invention resides in the method of installing the channel-forming flanges in sequential steps as the panels are being applied. By means of this construction, hereafter described in detail, panels 3,462,904 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 can be arranged and re-arranged without the use of screws or nails and without requiring complicated pressureexerting mechanisms.

THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, fragmentary view illustrating the partition mounting assembly of the present invention after installation;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view illustrating the various elements of the mounting assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the floor-engaging mounting assembly;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the same;

FIG. 5 is a detailed, sectional view through the floorengaging plate;

FIG. 6 is a similar view illustrating the floor-engaging plate and its associated, adhesively secured pad; and

FIG. 7 represents a modified adaptation of the invention, wherein the floor plate is not provided with prongs, but the pad is provided with adhesive means for securing to the same, both to the underside of the floor plate and the floor surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention is adaptable for use in remodeling and partitioning building areas such as apartments and oflice buildings which may be initially provided with Wall-towall carpeting or wherein the floors are either concrete or covered with tile, synthetic asphalt or vinyl coverings. In the former case, the invention is designed to take advantage of the cushioning effect of the wall-to-wall carpeting in cooperation with the pronged undersurfaces of the mounting plates, while in the latter case, a separate cushioning pad underlies the mounting plate and is ad hesively secured to the smooth surface of the floor or floor covering.

The particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 represents the invention as used in connection with smooth floor surfaces. Here, it will be seen that the mounting assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 10, comprises an elongated mounting plate 11 of suitable metal, punched from its upper surface as at 12 to provide a multiplicity of downwardly projecting prongs 13 extending throughout the lower surface of the plate, as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The illustrated embodiment of the invention is designed for use in mounting two, laterally spaced panels to form a hollow wall. Thus, adjacent each of its longitudinal edges, the plate 11 is provided with laterally spaced rows of longitudinally spaced slots 14 and 15 and 14a and 15a respectively for mounting coacting pairs of longitudinally extending, vertical flanges 1617 and 18-19, each pair of which forms a channel for receiving the longitudinal edge of a panel, as will be hereinafter described.

The lower edges of the pairs of flanges are provided with mounting lugs 16a and 17a and 18a and 19a, the lugs of the flanges of each pair being oppositely, right angularly bent and longitudinally spaced to correspond with the spacing of the respective slots 1445 and -150. Thus, the individual flanges may be installed on the plate 11 as seen in FIG. 4 by angularly presenting the flanges while projecting the respective lugs through their slots and then straightening the flanges vertically as shown in dotted lines, as will be hereinafter described in explaining the steps of installation.

The lateral spacing of the pairs of slots 14-15 and 14a- 15a and, in turn, their respective flanges is such as to accommodate the predetermined width of a series of studs 20 which are spaced along the base plate between the spaced panels 21 and 22 which lie in the respective channels formed by the pairs of flanges.

Beneath the pronged undersurface of the plate 11, an elongated cushioning pad 23 comprising a strip of suitable plastic or other cushioning material is provided, as best seen in FIG. 6, and its underside is coated with an adhesive substance 24, preferably of the pressure-sensitive type, which secures the plate and assembly against movement in either direction when the pad 23 is adhered to a vinyl floor covering, for example.

As previously indicated, when the assembly is to be used in partitioning areas which are already provided with wall-to-wall carpeting or the like, the cushioning pad 23 is eliminated, as the engagement of the prongs 13 with the carpeting provides the necessary anchoring effect to prevent lateral movement of the plate and assembly. Such an installation is shown in FIG. 4 where the carpet is represented by the numeral 25.

It may also be desirable, in some instances, to eliminate the prongs 13 entirely, as shown in FIG. 7, and employ a cushioning pad 23 having an adhesive substance 24-24a applied to its opposite surfaces so that the pad can be adhesively secured both to the underside of the plate 11 and the floor surface to prevent lateral movement of the assembly.

A convenient locking means for securing the channel flanges 16-17 and 18-19 in upright position against the inserted panels 21 and 22 comprises a series of clips, generally indicated at 26. These clips are preferably formed of relatively rigid wire, and each consists of a horizontal, channel-bridging portion 27, one end of which is bent at right angles as at 28 to form a flange-locking leg. At the opposite end of the bridging portion, there is provided a circular loop 29 which is concentric with the axis of the bridging portion 27 so as to serve as a pivot for the clip when a self-tapping screw 30 is inserted in the loop and screwed through the inner channel flange 16 and 18 and into the stud 20. These clips are preferably inserted between the meeting vertical edges of two adjacent panels so that it is not necessary to penetrate the panels. The installation of these clips will be described more in detail in explaining the sequential steps of the overall installation.

The procedure followed in installing the mounting assemblies and panels is substantially the same whether the floor surface of the building is hard and smooth, as would be the case with concrete, or a vinyl floor covering, or is covered with wall-to-wall carpeting. In the case of a vinyl covered floor, for example, the elongated cushioning pad 23, adhesively coated on its underside, is first adhered to the floor surface in a line defining the location of the wall panels. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 1, a cushioning pad 23a is applied to the ceiling in alignment with the floor pad. A floor plate 11 is then placed on the top surface of the pad 23 and pressed downwardly to embed its prongs 13 in the pad.

The inner channel-forming flanges 16 and 18 are now installed on the floor base plate 11 by tilting the flanges angularly so that their lugs 16a and 18a can be inserted in the corresponding slots 14-14a in the base plate. This can be accomplished due to the resiliency of the upper surface of the pad 23 which permits manipulation of the lugs as the flanges are straightened vertically. Then, prior to placing the ceiling plate 11a against its pad 23a, the corresponding inner channel forming flange of that assembly is similarly installed in the base plate and adjusted vertically downwardly. The ceiling plate is then held against the ceiling pad 2311 as a series of studs 20 are placed at intervals along the length of the plates. These studs are cut to the proper length to force the prongs of the ceiling plate into the ceiling pad, as in the case of the prongs of the floor plate, thus retaining both plates firmly in place, with the adjacent faces of the studs in firm engagement with the corresponding inner channel-forming flanges 16 and 18.

Although this mounting assembly may be employed for installing either a single or double paneled wall, known as a hollow wall, the drawings illustrate the latter adaptation. However, inasmuch as both of the pairs of channel-forming flanges 16-17 and 18-19 are the same, an explanation of the installation of a one-panel unit will suffice.

As seen in FIG. 4, with the mounting plates, inner flanges and studs in place, as described, a panel 22 is placed edgewise between the floor plate and the ceiling plate with its vertical extremities in engagement with the respective inner channel-forming flanges 18. Thereafter, the outer channel-forming flanges 19 of both the base plate 11 and ceiling plate 11a are installed by laterally tilting the flanges 19 and inserting their respective lugs 19a in place in slots 15a, as described in connection with the inner flange 18. The outer flanges 19 are then straightened vertically in flush contact with the adjacent surface of the panel 22, as shown in dotted lines, to form channels for embracing the vertical extremities of the panel.

When employing the particular type of locking clip 26 shown in the drawings, it may be noted that prior to finally installing the outer channel-forming flanges 17 or 19, as the case may be, and with the flange tilted outwardly as shown at 19 in FIG. 4, a screw 30 is inserted in the loop 29 of the clip and screwed into the adjacent edge of the stud 20 between the meeting edges of adjacent panels. Each clip is first rotated so that its angular clamping end 28 is directed upwardly until the outer flange 19 is adjusted vertically to embrace the outer face of the panel. Thereupon, by rotating the clip so that the angular end 28 is directed downwardly, it embraces the outer face of the flange, thus holding both flanges tightly together and securing them to the studs with the panels disposed in the channels formed by the flanges. By placing these clips at the junctions of a series of panels, the entire wall structure is maintained firmly in place.

When installing panels on a carpeted surface, of course, the floor pad 23 is unnecessary, but in order to secure the upper edges of the panels, the ceiling pad 23a is necessary.

It is believed unnecessary to explain in detail the installation of the embodiment of floor plate shown in FIG. 7 which eliminates the prongs, as aside from the installation of the pads, the assembly of the flanges, panels, and clips is identical with that just described.

It may also be noted that the mounting plate 11 is preferably formed of a sheet of metal which has a sufficient degree of flexibility to compensate for possible irregularities in the floor or ceiling to which it is applied. Inasmuch as this plate has no integral flanges along its longitudinal edges, it readily adapts itself to the contours of the floor and ceiling.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a portable panel system for partitioning the interiors of buildings, a panel mounting assembly comprising an elongated base plate, means for anchoring said plate to a supporting surface, including a surface-engaging cushioning layer interposed between said base plate and said supporting surface, a series of prongs on the underside of said base plate for penetrating said cushioning layer and resisting relative lateral motion of the two, at least two elongated, laterally spaced flanges mountable on the top surface of said plate to jointly form a panel edge-receiving channel, means for detachably and independently mounting said flanges on said plate in surface contact with opposite faces of a panel interposed therebetween, and locking means for maintaining said spaced flanges in relatively fixed relation.

2. A panel mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate is punched throughout substantially its entire area to provide said series of prongs.

3. A panel mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underside of said cushioning layer is provided with an adhesive coating for securing the same to said supporting surface.

4. A panel mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for independently mounting said flanges comprises a series of angularly disposed lugs on the lower edges of said flanges, and laterally spaced rows of slots in said base plate, the slots of each row being longitudinally spaced to receive the lugs of respective flanges, providing independent, substantially hinge-like connections between said flanges and base plate.

5. A panel mounting assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said locking means comprise a series of clips insertable between the meeting vertical edges of adjacent panels and adapted to bridge the upper edges of said spaced flanges, each of said clips being provided at one end with an angularly bent locking leg for overhanging and engaging the outer face of one flange, its opposite end being provided with a mounting loop, and pivotal mounting means engaging said loop and securing said clip to the opposite flange, whereby, when a panel is inserted in the channel formed by said flanges, said clip may be rotated on its pivot to bring said locking leg into locking engagement with the adjacent flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,491 4/1937 Graham 52241 2,968,374 1/196'1 Bohnsack 52241 3,120,031 2/1964 Bohnsack 52-241 3,324,615 6/ 1967 Zinn 52241 3,320,710 5/1967 -Byss ing 52--241 X JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52242, 713 

